“There is nothing that will not reveal its secrets if you love it enough.”
–George Washington Carver

When someone asks you, “How are you doing?” do you (out of habit or instant reflex) say, “Fine”? That could be all right if it’s the grocery cashier asking the question, but if it’s a close friend, you might want to go a bit deeper. Science shows a link between our we engage in. So try this for a day, and see what happens:

#9. Have Deeper Conversations

There’s a reason it’s called “the art of conversation.”  Experiencing depth in our conversations isn’t always easy. But why is that the case? If we’re trying too hard, we may actually be cutting off the flow of natural communication between ourselves and others. To reach deeper, to have a heart-to-heart talk, doesn’t mean that the words we say are brilliant. It does mean that we’re engaged. And that means we’re and  responding with authenticity, as well as voicing our own ideas and feelings when it’s our turn to speak.

Of course, everyone’s different. Some of us may find it hard to identify or speak about emotions, and respond to stress differently during conversation, while others generally tend to be more articulate about their feelings and needs, and may find it easier to be in tune with the feelings and needs of others. Keeping our differences in mind, we can listen to each other with empathy, and respond with authenticity.

“Be curious, not judgmental.”
–Walt Whitman

When we give time and attention to deepening our interest in others, we get a bonus: our patience grows. As our curiosity about others increases, so does our compassion. Conversation is both a creative art and a spiritual practice. As we practice this art, deeper conversations naturally arise.

If you felt a little nervous reading this post, you might explore these Finding True Magic audios:
Shyness to Confidence
The Dating Survival Kit
The Relationship Survival Kit

May all beings enjoy unchanging happiness and freedom from fear!